George A. Kiser

George A. Kiser represents clients who have been sued for toxic tort exposures—including asbestos—in high-profile, high-volume jurisdictions. He has represented hundreds of clients with asbestos cases pending in Madison, Cook, and outlying Counties in Illinois as well as St. Louis, Missouri. He has been trial counsel in asbestos cases, negotiated settlements of asbestos cases, and prepared and argued trial motions.

Before specializing in toxic tort litigation, Mr. Kiser did a two-year judicial law clerkship for the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of Missouri. He has represented clients throughout Illinois and Missouri and has tried 30 cases to jury verdict in Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin. During his career he has handled automobile personal injury defense litigation cases, asbestos liability lawsuits, insurance coverage defense litigation cases, contract defense litigation, administrative proceedings, criminal defense, and municipal contract negotiations and oversight. He has also argued cases before the Missouri and Illinois Courts of Appeals, the Missouri Supreme Court, and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits.

Education

• University of Missouri, Columbia, J.D., 1989
• University of Missouri, Columbia, B.S. in Business Administration/Administrative Management, 1984

LAW SCHOOL HONORS/INVOLVEMENT

• The Journal of Dispute Resolution
  • Note and Comment Editor
• University of Missouri ATLA Trial Competition and Regional Finals (Cleveland OH, 1989)

Admissions & Affiliations

• Illinois
• Missouri
• United States Courts of Appeals for the
  • 7th and 8th Circuits
• United States District Courts for the
  • Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois

• 29 jury trials to verdict (first chair)
• 1 asbestos jury trial (second chair)
• 3 trial counsel jury trial appearances (asbestos litigation)
• 2 federal court second chair criminal jury trials (one to verdict)
• 1 state court second chair criminal trial verdict

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• Assisted in 1 post-conviction, state court death penalty appeal
• 2 municipal employee defense trials (first chair) and appeals to circuit court
• 1 successful appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court
• 2 appeals to the U.S. Federal Court, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
• 2 appeals to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District
• 2 appeals to the Illinois Court of Appeals, Fifth District

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Honors & Awards

• AV Preeminent® attorneys by Martindale-Hubbell
• Illinois Leading Lawyer (2016-2024)
• Montclair’s Who’s Who in North America
  • Lifetime Member

News

Events & Speaking Engagements

• “Personal Jurisdiction: What’s New?” HarrisMartin’s Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference (St. Louis MO, 2021).
• “What You Need to Know: Tips and Strategies to Successfully Handle Depositions,” Know CLE presentation (2021). (Co-presenter)
• “Implementing Practical and Ethical Settlement Strategies,” ACI Toxic Tort and Environmental Litigation Conference (Chicago IL, 2017).
• “Smoke Signals: Negotiation Tactics for Lawyers,” Perrin Conferences Webinar (2016).
• “George Kiser’s News and Views,” HarrisMartin's Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference (St. Louis MO, 2016).

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• “Motion Practice in Madison County, Illinois,” HarrisMartin’s Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference (St. Louis MO, 2014).
• “Deposition Practice,” HarrisMartin’s Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference (St. Louis MO, 2013).
• “Madison County, Illinois, Docket Procedures and Mediation,” HarrisMartin’s Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference (St. Louis MO, 2012).
• “The Missouri Appellate Practice,” and “Insurance Defense/ Coverage Litigation,” Missouri Continuing Legal Education Courses. (1999).

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Blog Posts

Publications

• Smoke Signals: The Eleven Unwritten Rules of Negotiation. Dogear Publishing (2015).
• “Forum Non Conveniens: It’s Not About Convenience Anymore, Or Is It?” IDC Defense Update, Vol. 13, No. 2 (April 2012).
• “Take the Fifth in a Civil Case and Live to Tell the Tale; Yes You Can!” IDC Tort Law Committee Newsletter, Vol. 12 No. 16 (Nov. 2011).
• "Don't Let Your Employees Take Work Home with Them; It May Save You a Lawsuit Some Day," IDC Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 1 (First Quarter 2011).
• “Wrongful Adoption: New Application for an Old Tort,” The Young Lawyer Connection, DRI Defense Research Institute (Spring 1999).